United 3 QPR 1

Yet another comeback, from being a goal down, saw United take all three points on offer today.

Sir Alex Ferguson shuffled his pack for this fixture. Darren Fletcher made the starting eleven, for a Premier League game for the first time in over a year whilst Jonny Evans defied the odds to return after injury at the heart of the defence. Wayne Rooney and David de Gea, both of whom missed the defeat against Norwich City, at Carrow Road last weekend, suffered mixed fortunes. Rooney was given starting place but De Gea had to be content with a place on the bench with Anders Lindegaard continuing between the sticks plus there was also a start for the veteran Paul Scholes.

First Half - The game finally got under way, four minutes late, after the QPR keeper corrected a kit anomaly. United, as you`d expect, had all the early possession with our visitors packing their defence. QPR almost had a half-chance when an error by Ferdinand almost let in Mackie but Rio recovered to clear.

United thought they should have had a penalty when good work from Van Persie found Scholes who went down under a challenge from Derry but play was waved on. Rooney fed Welbeck down the flank and his ball in was met by Van Persie who saw his shot hit the side-netting.

Scholes, looking as if he was going to unleash a volley, from a Rooney pass, instead fed the ball to Young but his shot was wide of the mark. Scholes then made an error but any chance QPR had of fashioning a chance disappeared with Mackie`s indecision.

Welbeck, down the right, found Rooney but his shot was saved by the legs of Julio Cesar in the QPR goal. Cisse, as QPR pushed forward, found Mackie but the offside flag came to United`s rescue as Mackie headed home. Young`s claims for a penalty, after falling to the ground, were met with a scowl by Clint Hill who clearly thought there was no contact whatsoever.

With the half time whistle sounding, it hadn`t been the best forty-five minutes of the season.

Half Time - United 0 QPR 0

Second Half - Sir Alex, despite the poor first forty-five minutes, made no changes during the break. QPR, from a corner, played the ball back to Kieron Dyer and his skillful work saw Mackie net, after Lindegaard could only palm Dyer`s cross-cum-shot, to leave United trailing in a match again, the ninth time this happened in the Premier League this season.

United 0 QPR 1 - (Mackie - 52 mins)

Buoyed by the goal, QPR pushed forward and Cisse saw a shot blocked when a pass to Mackie was the better option. Sir Alex responded by bringing on Anderson and super-sub Hernandez for Young and Scholes.

QPR were still the livelier of the team, Taarabt found Cisse who found Dyer who, instead of shooting, tried to find an impossible pass for Mackie. United did get level though through Jonny Evans who headed home, from close range, his first Premier League goal, at Old Trafford after Welbeck had headed down a Rooney corner.

United 1 QPR 1 - (Evans - 64 mins)

Back on level terms, United were soon to go in front when Darren Fletcher netted with a header from a Rooney corner.

United 2 QPR 1 - (Fletcher - 68 mins)

QPR were now reeling and when Anderson burst through the middle, Van Persie`s unselfish run opened up the space for a ball to free Hernandez who calmly steered his shot past Cesar.

United 3 QPR 1 - (Hernandez - 72 mins)

Three goals, in eight minutes, had turned the match in United`s direction and the three points took us back to the top of the table.

Comments

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Never saw the game, not even the highlights but from what I understand we were poor until Anderson came on and provided some much needed energy and attacking intent. We play our best football when one more attack minded midfielder, Cleverley or Anderson, is on the pitch with a more defensive midfielder, Scholes, Giggs (mainly due to their age), Carrick or Fletcher, otherwise we're either too slow or we leave ourselves too exposed. Good result now bring n the next game.

We were shocking in the first half QPR were the better side for long periods of the game. This falling behind has to be cut out though we were fortunate not to be two down as Mackie wasn't that far offside slight better timing by him or if the linesman hadn't been on the ball it'd been given